Portland Trail Blazers starters Josh Hart and Jusuf Nurkic are both available to play tonight against the Atlanta Hawks, according to a team announcement. Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups said pregame that Hart would retain his spot in the starting lineup, Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report reported.
Highkin also reported Hawks star Trae Young won’t play against Portland.
INJURY UPDATE: Josh Hart and Jusuf Nurkic are both AVAILABLE to play tonight vs. ATL. https://t.co/9gdKdbv01Q
— Trail Blazers PR (@TrailBlazersPR) January 31, 2023
Hart (right hamstring tightness) and Nurkic (left calf soreness) both missed Portland’s 123-105 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night, after both coming down with their injuries in last Wednesday’s win against the Utah Jazz. Their absence was strongly felt on the boards, as Portland lost the rebounding battle 45-27 (15-3 in offensive rebounds) against Toronto.
Young’s absence should boost Portland’s chance of a win in the final game of a six-game home stand. Young is Atlanta’s leading scorer, averaging 27.2 points per game, along with a team-high 9.9 assists.